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3 May 2013

The Culture Feature | April 2013

I don't know what's happened recently, but after months on end of feeling stuck into music I knew and was bored of, I've finally started discovering plenty of new artists. So like last month, this month is a lot about music, with just a side of TV.

MUSIC | Different Pulses, Asaf Avidan
Everytime I go home, I head back to London with a suitcase full of freshly ironed clothes and my iTunes filled with my family's music recommendations. Easter was as fruitful as usual, since Asaf Avidan was the soundtrack of my two weeks at home.
Asaf Avidan has a voice like no other, strangely very clear then husky, and impressively high-fey for a man. I also really love the non-traditional drums and the sort of mysterious synth sounds in the background. It's ages away from what I usually go for, but man, I really do love it.

MUSIC | Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow, Hammock
Last month was all about essay writing, but it's very difficult for me to find good studying music. I can't listen to anything with words because it distracts me too much, which usually means I stick to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, which despite being a great choice, can get a little bit old.
My friend James mentioned Hammock in one of his vlogs, so I went for it, AND I'M SO GLAD I DID. I find it hard to say anything specific about it, since it's "just" ambience music, but it's good and inspiring and positive with a tad of melancholia. Or at least that's how it makes me feel.

MUSIC | Some Nights, fun.
OK I know that's old and it's been heard and re-heard but I've developed a strange love for it recently. The song Some Nights makes me strangely happy. It's got quite a few good summer tunes, so if you want to give it a go, it's now or never!

MUSIC | Dead & Born & Grown, The Staves
I got this CD from my housemate Megan for my birthday, which was super cool because 1) I haven't been given CDs in ages, 2) especially by artists I had no idea about, and 3) I really love The Staves. The band is made up of three sisters whose beautiful, beautiful voices are laid out on quiet folky guitars. This album is really all about their voices and melodies, and would give chills to anyone.

TV | Broadchurch
I can't get over how good Britain can be at TV sometimes.
I'd been seeing a lot about Broadchurch on Twitter so figured I'd give it a go. From the first episode, I was hooked. A murder comes to shake the small and quiet town of Broadchurch, where DI Alec Hardy (Tennant, fantastic as ever and finally free from the drastic anti-Scot-accent rules of Doctor Who) is sent to solve the case. In typical mystery programme style, everyone gets involved, is suspected, is caught up with their past, is declared innocent, and is re-suspected until the whole thing becomes a tangled mess of doubts and suspicions. I thought I'd find the killer three times until I got the right one, but I had doubts until the very end.
But Broadchurch isn't just the story or the cast, it's also an incredible cinematography. I spent as much time shouting potential suspects' names at the screen than I did commenting on great shots. The composition, colours, and plays on depth of field were always excellent and really contributed to making Broadchurch as addictive as it is.
A+ would watch again—which is great because Broadchurch is coming back next year for a second series!

I also read a couple books this month, but both were so incredibly disappointing that I don't want to mention them. Honorary mention to Gangster Squad which was better than I expected, and this not only because Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were in it ;)

See you next month for more, and very soon with a recipe, at long last!